Anua vs The INKEY List
Anua and The INKEY List are distinct skincare brands designed to address diverse complexions through thoughtful, ingredient-focused formulations. The Korean brand centers on moisturizers, toners, serums, and cleansers utilizing hyaluronic acid, heartleaf, and niacinamide to suit oily acne-prone and dry skin, whereas the British brand relies on glycerin across its moisturizers, serums, toners, and eye products to nurture combination and sensitive skin. While both companies offer targeted solutions for mature skin and blemishes, they differ fundamentally in their foundational ingredients, regional origins, and ideal skin types.
Anua is a Korean skincare brand founded in 2019 and owned by The Founders Inc..
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The INKEY List is a British skincare brand founded in 2018 and owned by Brand Evangelists for Beauty Limited.
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This page compares some of the most popular Anua and The INKEY List products; for every product of both brands, with a fit score for your own skin, use the Lovi app.
Popular Anua vs The INKEY List products
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Heartleaf Pore Control Cleansing Oil
$17.00
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Heartleaf 77% Soothing Toner
$19.69
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Niacinamide 10% + TXA 4% Serum
$21.85
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PDRN Hyaluronic Acid Capsule 100 Serum
$27.37
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Heartleaf Quercetin Pore Deep Cleansing Foam
$13.00
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Rice 70 Glow Milky Toner
$21.00
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PEACH 70% NIACINAMIDE SERUM
$20.00
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Heartleaf 77% Clear Pad
$21.88
People Say
Texture and Consistency Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
- “Skin feels super smooth — Anua PEACH 70% NIACINAMIDE SERUM”
- “melts into skin — Anua Heartleaf Silky Moisture Sun Cream”
- “Gel consistency — The INKEY List Tranexamic Acid Serum”
- “feels like applying straight up water to the skin — The INKEY List Omega Water Cream”
Hydration and Moisture Mostly MentionedOften Mentioned
- “complexion feels so plump — Anua PDRN Hyaluronic Acid Capsule 100 Serum”
- “leaves skin plump — Anua Rice 70 Glow Milky Toner”
- “Super hydrating — The INKEY List Polyglutamic Acid Serum”
- “intense nourishment — The INKEY List Collagen Peptide Serum”
Soothing and Calming Often MentionedOften Mentioned
- “Calms my redness instantly — Anua Heartleaf 77% Soothing Toner”
- “calmed my red spots — Anua Heartleaf 77% Clear Pad”
- “Safe and gentle especially for my dry, sensitive skin — The INKEY List Oat Cleansing Balm”
- “calmed my menopausal redness — The INKEY List ECTOIN HYDRO-BARRIER SERUM”
Packaging and Value Rarely NotedMostly Mentioned
- “Good for the price — The INKEY List Salicylic Acid Cleanser”
- “One of the best balms for quality and also price — The INKEY List Oat Cleansing Balm”
- “unbeatable value — The INKEY List Hyaluronic Acid Serum”
- “love the included tweezers — Anua Heartleaf 77% Clear Pad”
Brightening and Glow Often MentionedRarely Noted
- “Significant reduction in hyperpigmentation from acne scarring. — Anua Niacinamide 10% + TXA 4% Serum”
- “glass-like glow — Anua Rice 70 Glow Milky Toner”
- “Gives a nice healthy glow — Anua PEACH 70% NIACINAMIDE SERUM”
- “Visibly reduces acne scars — The INKEY List Tranexamic Acid Serum”
Makeup Compatibility Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
- “sits beautifully under makeup — The INKEY List Caffeine Eye Cream”
- “Melts away makeup and impurities without drying — The INKEY List Oat Cleansing Balm”
- “no pilling under makeup — The INKEY List Hyaluronic Acid Serum”
- “makeup applies so smoothly — Anua PDRN Hyaluronic Acid Capsule 100 Serum”
Breakouts and Acne Often MentionedSometimes Noted
- “did cause major breakouts — The INKEY List Omega Water Cream”
- “New formula breaks me out — The INKEY List Salicylic Acid Cleanser”
- “Caused cystic acne — The INKEY List PHA Toner”
- “Wrecked my skin barrier — Anua Heartleaf Pore Control Cleansing Oil”
Anua vs The INKEY List routines for dry skin
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Cleanser
Hyaluronic Acid Hydrating Gentle Foaming Cleanser
Morning · Evening · Once a week
$15.00
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Hydrating Toner
Rice 70 Glow Milky Toner
Morning
$21.00
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Moisturizer
Heartleaf 70% Intense Calming Cream
Morning · Evening · Once a week
$25.00
-
SPF
Heartleaf Silky Moisture Sun Cream
Morning
$26.00
-
Pre-Cleanser
Heartleaf Pore Control Cleansing Oil
Evening · Once a week
$17.00
-
Serum or Treatment
Niacinamide 10% + TXA 4% Serum
Evening · Once a week
$21.85
-
Nourishing Mask
MEDIHEAL Vita Essential Mask
Once a week
$22.00
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Cleanser
Salicylic Acid Cleanser
Morning · Evening · Once a week
$15.00
-
Hydrating Toner
Pyunkang Yul Calming Deep Moisture Toner
Morning
$16.99
- Moisturizer Collagen Peptide Serum Morning · Evening · Once a week
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SPF
d'Alba Piedmont Waterfull Mild Sunscreen
Morning
$15.99
-
Pre-Cleanser
Oat Cleansing Balm
Evening · Once a week
$17.00
-
Serum or Treatment
10% Azelaic Acid Serum
Evening · Once a week
$20.00
-
Nourishing Mask
MEDIHEAL Vita Essential Mask
Once a week
$22.00
Buy Anua routine · $147.85 · 85% fit
Buy The INKEY List routine · $106.98 · 82% fitSee multi-brand routine · 99% fit
Anua vs The INKEY List routines for oily skin
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Cleanser
Salicylic Acid Cleanser
Morning · Evening · Once a week
$15.00
-
Hydrating Toner
Some By Mi Snail Truecica Miracle Repair Toner
Morning · Once a week
$15.60
-
Moisturizer
Hyaluronic Acid Serum
Morning · Evening · Once a week
$13.00
-
SPF
CeraVe AM Facial Moisturizing Lotion SPF 30
Morning
$14.97
-
Pre-Cleanser
Oat Cleansing Balm
Evening · Once a week
$17.00
-
Cleansing Toner
PHA Toner
Evening
$18.00
-
Serum or Treatment
10% Azelaic Acid Serum
Evening · Once a week
$20.00
-
Enzyme Powder
Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant
Once a week
$69.00
-
Cleansing Mask
Revision Skincare Black Mask
Once a week
$79.00
-
Cleanser
Heartleaf Quercetin Pore Deep Cleansing Foam
Morning · Evening · Once a week
$13.00
-
Hydrating Toner
Rice Enzyme Brightening Cleansing Powder
Morning · Once a week
$15.90
-
Moisturizer
Heartleaf 70% Intense Calming Cream
Morning · Evening · Once a week
$25.00
-
SPF
Heartleaf Silky Moisture Sun Cream
Morning
$26.00
-
Pre-Cleanser
Heartleaf Pore Control Cleansing Oil
Evening · Once a week
$17.00
-
Cleansing Toner
BHA 2% Gentle Exfoliating Toner
Evening
$18.00
-
Serum or Treatment
Niacinamide 10% + TXA 4% Serum
Evening · Once a week
$21.85
-
Cleansing Mask
Revision Skincare Black Mask
Once a week
$79.00
Buy The INKEY List routine · $261.57 · 87% fit
Buy Anua routine · $215.75 · 83% fitSee multi-brand routine · 98% fit
Anua vs The INKEY List routines for combination skin
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Cleanser
Salicylic Acid Cleanser
Morning · Evening · Once a week
$15.00
-
Hydrating Toner
Paula's Choice Skin Balancing Pore-Reducing Toner
Morning · Once a week
$25.60
-
Moisturizer
Polyglutamic Acid Serum
Morning · Evening · Once a week
$17.00
-
SPF
CeraVe AM Facial Moisturizing Lotion SPF 30
Morning
$14.97
-
Pre-Cleanser
Oat Cleansing Balm
Evening · Once a week
$17.00
-
Cleansing Toner
Glycolic Acid Toner
Evening
$18.00
-
Serum or Treatment
10% Azelaic Acid Serum
Evening · Once a week
$20.00
-
Enzyme Powder
Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant
Once a week
$69.00
-
Cleansing Mask
HERBIVORE Botanicals Blue Tansy BHA and Enzyme Pore Refining Mask
Once a week
$58.00
-
Cleanser
Heartleaf Quercetin Pore Deep Cleansing Foam
Morning · Evening · Once a week
$13.00
-
Hydrating Toner
Rice 70 Glow Milky Toner
Morning · Once a week
$21.00
-
Moisturizer
Rice Enzyme Brightening Cleansing Powder
Morning · Evening · Once a week
$15.90
-
SPF
Heartleaf Silky Moisture Sun Cream
Morning
$26.00
-
Pre-Cleanser
Heartleaf Pore Control Cleansing Oil
Evening · Once a week
$17.00
-
Cleansing Toner
BHA 2% Gentle Exfoliating Toner
Evening
$18.00
-
Serum or Treatment
Niacinamide 10% + TXA 4% Serum
Evening · Once a week
$21.85
-
Cleansing Mask
HERBIVORE Botanicals Blue Tansy BHA and Enzyme Pore Refining Mask
Once a week
$58.00
Buy The INKEY List routine · $254.57 · 90% fit
Buy Anua routine · $190.75 · 83% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit
Questions and answers
Anua or The INKEY List: which is better?
Both brands are great, with Anua doing better for brightening and glow on the products on this page, while The INKEY List excels in packaging and value, and makeup compatibility. Both brands offer high routine fit levels for dry skin.
What is the difference between Anua and The INKEY List?
Anua does better for brightening and glow among the products on this page, while The INKEY List does better for packaging, value, and makeup compatibility. Both brands feature no fragrance across all of their products.
Anua or The INKEY List for oily skin?
Both Anua and The INKEY List fit oily skin at a High level on the products on this page. Reviewers note that Anua focuses more on brightening and glow.
Anua or The INKEY List: which cleanser is better?
Both brands offer effective cleansers, but reviewers note that Anua is better for brightening and glow among the products on this page. The INKEY List features affordable options that help remove makeup effectively, such as the Oat Cleansing Balm.
Which is more affordable, Anua or The INKEY List?
The INKEY List does better for packaging and value among the products on this page, and reviewers frequently mention its moisturizers and serums as affordable. Niacinamide may help reduce pigmentation and support skin barrier function.
Anua or The INKEY List: which brand is better for brightening and glow?
Anua does better for brightening and glow among the products on this page. Reviewers mostly mention brightening serums for Anua, and niacinamide helps reduce cutaneous pigmentation and suppress melanosome transfer.
Anua or The INKEY List: which brand has better packaging and value?
The INKEY List does better for packaging and value among the products on this page.
Anua or The INKEY List for sensitive skin?
The INKEY List fits sensitive skin at a Superior level, while Anua fits at a High level. Reviewers state that The INKEY List offers hydrating and lightweight moisturizers.
Anua or The INKEY List: which moisturizer is better?
Both brands offer effective moisturizers on the products on this page, with Anua standing out for soothing and barrier support and The INKEY List for affordable and hydrating options.
Anua or The INKEY List for acne-prone skin?
Both Anua and The INKEY List fit acne-prone skin well at a High level on the products on this page. Reviewers note that Anua may sometimes cause breakouts, while The INKEY List also notes occasional purging and breakouts.
Anua or The INKEY List for combination skin?
For combination skin, Anua has a High routine fit on the products on this page, while The INKEY List reaches a Superior fit level.
Research behind their key ingredients
Effects of Turmeric (Curcuma longa) on Skin Health: A Systematic Review of the Clinical Evidence
The Effect of Aloe Vera Clinical Trials on Prevention and Healing of Skin Wound: A Systematic Review
Molecular basis of retinol anti-ageing properties in naturally aged human skin in vivo
Effects of ascorbic acid on gingival melanin pigmentation in vitro and in vivo
Apigenin inhibits UVA-induced cytotoxicity in vitro and prevents signs of skin aging in vivo
Effects of glyceryl glucoside on AQP3 expression, barrier function and hydration of human skin
The moisturizing effects of glycolipid biosurfactants, mannosylerythritol lipids, on human skin
A comparative study of gluconolactone versus benzoyl peroxide in the treatment of acne
Chemical peels for acne vulgaris: a systematic review of randomised controlled trials
Topical Almond Oil for Prevention of Pressure Injuries: A Single-Blinded Comparison Study
Moisturizing Effects of Diglycerol Combined with Glycerol on Human Stratum Corneum
The anti wrinkle efficacy of synthetic hexapeptide (Argireline) in Chinese Subjects
Nanocomplex of quaternized cyclodextrin grafted chitosan and hyaluronic acid for a skin delivery
Histometric assessment of the age-related skin response to 2-hydroxy-5-octanoyl benzoic acid
Emulgels powered by coco-glucoside: A stable and effective synbiotics delivery system for skin care
Darutoside promotes skin wound healing via regulating macrophage polarization
Treatment with Ascorbyl Glucoside-Arginine Complex Ameliorates Solar Lentigos
Targeting Circadian Rhythm for the Regulation of Skin Collagen Metabolism
Behind this comparison
Lovi compares products by their fit scores, calculated from the full ingredient list with brand-independent rules our dermatologists and cosmetic chemists build and review, and personalizes every pick with AI trained on the real results of millions of users. Lovi trains its fit score models on a proprietary dataset built from more than 10,000 expert-labeled products and more than 100,000 simulated examples, following an internally consistent methodology presented at Cosmoprof, AMWC, and Skin of Color Update.
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Co-founder, Medical Director
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer
-

Co-founder, CEO and CTO
PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex
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Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc
Medical Board
Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine
-

Medical Board
Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
-

Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member
-

Medical Board, Medical Advisor
Dermatology MD
-

Elina Nazarenko, MD
Medical Board
Dermatology and diagnostic consultant
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Victoria Derkova, MS
Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist
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